1982 GS850, A True Newbie's First Time Project

[ScrumDown]

If I can throw this out there. This is what I check when I work on an engine that doesn't start right off the bat. (The three major things need for an engine to run.)

• GAS
• SPARK
• AIR

1 - Do you have fuel flowing to the carbs? (i.e. Petcock work?)
2 - I know you can't check for spark yet. So I think it best to replace the battery and then see if you have spark. (Are the spark plugs clean-ish, very dirty or ???) Probably best to replace, IMHO.
3 - Is the air filter clean? is there one in place? (Not having one can mess with the air flow causing issues.)

 

[Digitus]

Okay so are you saying that I should try changing the battery? According to the last owner, the battery was completely drained from sitting and he had 'fully' charged the battery...

Letting it completely drain will ruin a battery. Dont bother with this one, buy a new one, they are not very expensive. Or take a car battery and hook it up to this one for a boost. Then you can see if the engine cranks. Once you know its not seized, you can if it will start and work from there.

I am very curious if it will start.

 

[arunara]

If I can throw this out there. This is what I check when I work on an engine that doesn't start right off the bat. (The three major things need for an engine to run.)

• GAS
• SPARK
• AIR

1 - Do you have fuel flowing to the carbs? (i.e. Petcock work?)
2 - I know you can't check for spark yet. So I think it best to replace the battery and then see if you have spark. (Are the spark plugs clean-ish, very dirty or ???) Probably best to replace, IMHO.
3 - Is the air filter clean? is there one in place? (Not having one can mess with the air flow causing issues.)

!!!! Forgot that I have not emptied the gas tank yet!!! It's still got old gas inside the tank and didn't remember to flush out yet... Thank you for the reminder.

1. No idea if the gas is leaking to carb, to be honest, don't know how to check =) But I can say that everything's in stock, just has been sitting for a long time.

2. Changing the battery this weekend or early next week

3. I think it's just four carbs feeding from one stock air box just like any other stock bike...

Letting it completely drain will ruin a battery. Dont bother with this one, buy a new one, they are not very expensive. Or take a car battery and hook it up to this one for a boost. Then you can see if the engine cranks. Once you know its not seized, you can if it will start and work from there.

I am very curious if it will start.

Yes sir! I'm getting a new battery and as soon as I replace it I will give you guys an update. Also since someone mentioned that he's worried about wheels not rolling right, I will post another video me pushing the bike to try to show how hard it is to roll the bike in N once I change the battery :-\\\

Just wanted to say it's been three days and I've already learned so much from you guys and I really appreciate it

 

[ScrumDown]

If you have not done so already, please order yourself a Clymer or Haynes Repair Manual. There is lots of good info in them that you can use when not on here.

I have a Haynes for my 79 GS550L and I am debating about getting a Clymer to have as well.

 

[Nessism]

Haynes and Clymers manuals suck. Get the original Suzuki manual off basscliff's web site (free download).

And it's a waste of time and effort trying to start an old bike that hasn't received any maintenance. Clean out the tank, rebuild the carbs, adjust the valves, etc. Even if it starts and runs it's just luck, and the bike can easily crap out on you at any time until the maintenance is taken care of.

 

[FLHGSRay]

The reason I always try to get mine started is that I want to know if I have a good basis for whatever plan I have in mind. I want to know if the engine is sound. It doesn't have to run well, just start so I can hear if it has any knocks or whatever. I don't want to rebuild carbs on a blown engine, or totally tear down an engine that is good. I always get them started first. If the engine is blown, I may just change my plans. If it sounds good, then I do the carbs, valve adjust, etc. I'd buy a battery, and get it turning over, check for spark at the plugs, fill the bowls with fresh gas, and start it.

 

[arunara]

Well I couldn't work on THIS bike because I had a huge problem with my running Yammy Roadstar, the gas cap is stuck and can't fill the gas. But tonight when I went out to take the gas tank off my Yammy I realized that on my GS it was definitely the brake that was causing the bike not to roll. So once I get my gas tank fixed tomorrow I will take the calipers off and go get me that battery I need.

Before I do that though is there anything I should be aware of when I'm doing this or should I just unbolt everything on the caliper and try to take it off the disc? Also what do I do since the caliper is already pressured and holding on to the disc?

Lastly is the battery spec of 82 GS850 12V 50.4 kC (14 Ah)/10HR correct? This is the info that was in the manual from Bikecliff's website.

 

[Etcheberri]

you might need to release some pressure in your break lines,
and you ll need a Clamp, a piece of wood, to push it back into place for reinstallation.

there s anyway something wrong with that caliper if it keeps braking for no reason,
bleed your lines?

but wait advice from more experienced guys than me before doing so.

 

[arunara]

Well I'm not too worried about reinstallation at the moment as I will change the break cable and flush and clean the whole brake system before I reinstall.

But how do I release those pressure?

 

[Etcheberri]

when you pull the break (don t remember if it s your front or rear), can you move the handle/pedal? or not at all.
if it does move freely maybe the piston is just seized there?
if it doesn't check if you could remove the pads anyway, get some room to pull all that off.

i ve never dealt with a stuck OUT caliper piston though.
really strange.

 

[arunara]

The pedal and the handle moves but the calipers are stuck. But if I bleed it with air and just release the bleeder would that help?

======Edit======

Called local auto part store and non of them have the battery in stock and they all have to order from outside vendors and I found this online. Seems like the spec matches the description from the manual. What do you guys think?

http://www.dealsourcedirect.com/ubc42003.html

 

[Etcheberri]

i think that s no pressure problem then.

either your piston is stuck out, or your pads are stuck on the disc.
try to spray a lot of penetrating oil over there, i d use a rubber hammer to hit the disc a bit too, and the calliper, to try to unblock all that, bleed your lines and just unbolt everything.

DO NOT DRIVE the bike if the penetrating oil unlock the parts!

 

[Etcheberri]

actually could you flip open the break pads servicing cover (on top of the caliper, should be a plastic part, look in the manual) and look what s going on over there? if it s all rusty, etc.

EDIT : if you do not have any rubber hammer, take a piece of flat wood, and hit it with a regular hammer, the idea is to never hit metal against metal. and hit gently.

 

[arunara]

actually could you flip open the break pads servicing cover (on top of the caliper, should be a plastic part, look in the manual) and look what s going on over there? if it s all rusty, etc.

EDIT : if you do not have any rubber hammer, take a piece of flat wood, and hit it with a regular hammer, the idea is to never hit metal against metal. and hit gently.

Thank you so much for the tips!!! I will try that once sun goes down. It's just too damn hot for me to go out and work on it =)

 

[Etcheberri]

you re welcome, hope it helps, i had stuck pads on a car once, never tried it on a motorcycle, but should work, remember to be gentle.

if you feel it somewhat moves a bit freely afterwards, unbolt all off it.

and well, come live in canada, it s already almost cold outside and sun is long gone , joking of course, would love to live in SoCal

 

[Flyboy]

Arunara, it's pretty simple, what you do is, look at the diagram below, firstly loosen the bleeding nipple, marked number 13 in the diagram below to releive the pressure in the brake line, do not remove completely, just loosen a few turns, then you will see two bolts on the side of the caliper that attach it to the caliper carrier, they are marked number 12 in the diagram and screw into two sliding pins, marked number 10, loosen those two bolts and remove them.
After removing those two bolts, the caliper is now loose from the carrier, it should just pull straight off backwards with a little wiggling and jiggling.
if your brake pads are binding to the disk and it is hard to remove, look at the caliper from the back of the bike, you will see a slot there where you can see the back of the brake pads inside the caliper and the edge of the disc between them.
Take a sturdy flat screwdriver and push the tip in between one of the pads and the disk, preferably the outter pad on the side of the front fork, now wiggle it gently from side to side, it will push the pad and the piston back into the caliper and away from the disk.
You can now just pull the calliper off.
Same drill for the rear.............hope this helps a bit.

PS: Be careful, hen you push the piston back, old gunky horrible brake fluid is going to come squirting out of the bleeding nipple, be sure not to let it squirt into your eyes or onto your Ferrarri's paint work or such, I just drape a small rag over the nipple to catch any fluid coming out.

 

[Etcheberri]

yeah, exactly like flyboy said, he explains WAY better than me

 

[Nessism]

If you pack up the brake system parts and bring them to Torrance I'll show you how to rebuild the calipers and master cylinder. Know though that if there is corrosion on the internal parts you will have to order replacements and the job won't be completed in one day.

 

[850 Combat]

You might consider heading down Knott to the Harbor Freight and picking up an electrical multi meter for under 10 dollars. Its in the strip mall accross from Golden West College in HB. I hope your engine isn't stuck. It probably isn't, but you have not made it turn over yet.

The plugs are in the top of the engine, there are fat wires leading to them. You might consider taking them out and putting a couple of ounces of motor oil in the holes and putting the plugs back in.